A fidler and his wife, who had rubbed through life, as moft couples ufually do, fometimes good friends, at others not quite fo well, one day happened to have a difpute, which was conducted with becoming spirit on both fides. The wife was fure fhe was right, and the hufband was refolved to have his own way. What was to be done in fuch a cafe the quarrel grew worfe by explanations, and at last the fury of both rose to such a pitch, that they made a vow never to fleep together in the fame bed for the future. This was the most rafh vow that could be imagined, for they ftill were friends at bottom, and befides they had but one bed in the houfe; however, refolved they were to go through with it, and at night the fiddle-cafe was laid in bed between them, in order to make a separation. In this manner they continued for three weeks; every night the fiddle-cafe being placed as a barrier to divide them. By this time, however, each heartily repented of their vow, their refentment was at an end, and their love began to return; they wished the fiddle-cafe away, but both had too much spirit to begin. One night, however, as they were both lying awake with the detefted fiddle-cafe between them, the husband happened to fneeze; to which the wife, as is ufual in fuch cafes, bid God bless him; Ay but, returns the husband, woman do you say that from your heart? Indeed, I do, my poor Nicholas, cried his wife, I fay it with all my heart. If fo then, says the husband, we bad as good remove the fiddle-cafe. LETTER LXVI. FROM THE SAME. BOOKS, my fon, while they teach us to refpect the intereft of others, often make us unmindful of our own; while they inftruct the youthful reader to grafp at focial happinefs, he grows miferable in detail, and attentive to univerfal harmony, often forgets that he himfelf has a part to fuftain in the concert. I dislike therefore the philofopher who defcribes the inconveniences of life in fuch pleafing colours that the pupil grows enamoured of diftrefs, longs to try the charms of poverty, meets it without dread, nor fears its inconveniences till he feverely feels them. A youth, who has thus fpent his life among books, new to the world, and unacquainted with man, but by philofophic information, may be confidered as a being, whose mind is filled with the vulgar errors of the wife; utterly unqualified for a journey through life, yet confident of his own fkill in the direction, he fets out with confidence, blunders on with vanity, and finds himself at last undone. He firft has learned from books, and then lays it down as a maxim, that all mankind are virtuous or vicious in excefs; and he has been long taught to deteft vice and love virtue: warm therefore in attachments, and ftedfaft in enmity, he treats every creature as a friend or foe; expects from those he loves unerring integrity, and configns his enemies to the reproach of wanting, every virtue. On this principle he proceeds; and here begin his difappointments: upon a closer inspection of human nature, he perceives, that he fhould have moderated his friendship, and foftened his severity; for he often finds the excellences of one part of mankind clouded with vice, and the faults of the other brightened with virtue; he finds no character fo fanctified that has not its failings, none fo infamous but has fomewhat to attract our esteem; he beholds impiety in lawn, and fidelity in fetters. He now therefore, but too late, perceives that his regards fhould have been more cool, and his hatred lefs violent; that the truly wife feldom court roman tic friendships with the good, and avoid, if poffible, the refentment even of the wicked: every moment gives him fresh inftances that the bonds of friendship are broken if drawn too closely, and that those whom he has treated with difrefpect more than retaliate the injury at length therefore he is obliged to confefs, that he has declared war upon the vicious half of mankind, without being able to form an alliance among the virtuous to efpoufe his quarrel. Our book-taught philofopher, however, is now too far advanced to recede; and though poverty be the just confequence of the many enemies his conduct has created, yet he is refolved to meet it without fhrinking: philofophers have described poverty in moft charming colours; and even his vanity is touched, in thinking, that he fhall fhow the world, in himself, one more example of patience, fortitude, and refignation. Come then, O Poverty! for what is there in thee dreadful to the WISE; Temperance, Health, and Frugality walk in thy train; Chearfulnefs and Liberty are ever thy companions. Shall any be afbamed of thee of whom Cincinnatus was not afhamed? The running brook, the herbs of the field can amply fatisfy nature; man wants but little, nor that little long *; * Our author has repeated this thought, nearly in the fame words, in his HERMIT: Then, pilgrim turn, thy cares forego, All earth-born cares are wrong; Man wants but little here below, Nor wants that little long. come come then, O Poverty, while kings ftand by and gaze with admiration, at the true philofopher's refignation. The goddess appears; for Poverty ever comes at the call; but alas! he finds her by no means the charming figure books and his warm imagination had painted. As when an Eastern bride, whom her friends and relations had long defcribed as a model of perfection, pays her firft vifit, the longing bridegroom lifts the veil to fee a face he had never feen before; but instead of a countenance, blazing with beauty like the fun, he beholds deformity fhooting icicles to his heart; fuch appears Poverty to her new entertainer; all the fabric of enthusiasm is at once demolished, and a thousand miferies rife upon its ruins, while Contempt, with pointing finger, is foremoft in the hideous proceffion. The poor man now finds that he can get no kings to look at him while he is çating; he finds that in proportion as he grows poor, the world turns its back upon him, and gives him leave to act the philofopher in all the majesty of folitude; it might be agreeable enough to play the philofopher, while we are confcious that mankind are spectators; but what fignifies wearing the mask of sturdy contentment, and mounting the ftage of restraint, when not one creature will affift at the exhibition! Thus is he forfaken of men, while his fortitude wants the fatiffaction even of self-applaufe; for either he does not feel his prefent calamities, and that is natural infenfibility, or he disguises his feelings, and that is diffimulation. Spleen now begins to take up the man; not distinguishing in his refentments, he regards all mankind with deteftation, and commencing man-hater, feeks folitude to be at liberty to rail. It has been said, that he who retires to folitude, is either a beast or an angel; the cenfure is too fe: vere, and the praise unmerited; the difcontented being, who retires from fociety, is generally fome good-natured man, who has begun life without experience, and knew not how to gain it in his intercourfe with mankind. Adieu. From Lien Chi Altangi, to Fum Hoam, first Prefident of the Ceremonial Academy at Pekin, in China. I FORMERLY acquainted thee, most grave Fum, with the excellence of the English in the art of healing. The Chinese boaft their skill in pulfes, the Siamese their botanical knowledge, but the English advertising phyficians alone, of being the great reftorers of health, the difpenfers of youth, and the infurers of longevity. I can never enough admire the fagacity of this country for the encouragement given to the profeffors of this art; with what indulgence does the fofter up thofe of her own growth, and kindly cherish thofe that come from abroad. Like a fkilful gardener fhe invites them from every foreign climate to herfelf. Here every great exotic' ftrikes root as soon as imported, and feels the genial beam of favour; while the mighty metropolis, like one vaft munificent dunghill, receives them indifcriminately to her breast, and supplies each with more than native nourishment. In other countries the phyfician pretends to cure disorders in the lump; the fame doctor who combats the gout in the toe, fhall pretend to prescribe for a pain in the head, and he who at one time cures a confumption, fhall at another give drugs for a dropfy. How abfurd and ridiculous! this is being a mere jack |